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What was the Imperial Japanese Navy’s - task force that the Guadalcanal PT’s fought with night after night for four months?
The Japanese simply termed it the Reinforcement Unit; headed mainly by Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka, the bulk of the task force was composed of destroyers (and the occasional light cruiser) from Tanaka’s Destroyer Squadron Two, plus any other Imperial Navy elements (submarines, for instance) that were deemed necessary to carry out the mission. That mission was simple enough: transport troop reinforcements to the battalions of the Japanese 17th Army on Guadalcanal, keep them continually armed and fed, and at the same time punishing their opposition "the United States Marines" with a bombardment. To the Americans, any Japanese naval presence in the waters of Ironbottom Sound, whether it was simply a destroyer-transport/resupply group or a beefier gunfire support unit replete with battleships and heavy cruisers was known as an “Express”, because it carried out its nightly tasks as if it were on an express-train timetable. The American sailors and Marines had a number of colorful names for what one PT squadron commander referred to "partly in jest" as “that nocturnal annoyance”. Originally the PT men dubbed Tanaka’s group the Bougainville Express, after the Japanese-held island of the same name in the upper Solomons, where the Imperial Navy had a major base. The much-harassed Marines branded it the Cactus Express after their code name for Guadalcanal; the indignant Leathernecks also had an amazing string of other names for the Reinforcement Unit, all of them primordially obscene and best left to the imagination. Another nom-du-guerre was the Insomnia Express, in reference to the shellings from Japanese warships, which were designed primarily to wear the Marines’ resistance down by keeping them running for foxholes all night. Apparently a journalist coined the term the Tanaka Force would be forever known by, and the commander of the South Pacific Forces "Vice Admiral William F. Halsey" quickly adopted it. As one PT officer at the time said: “It was still the same as the Bougainville Express, but the Tokyo Express is what Admiral Halsey called it, and who were we to argue with him?”
In reading most accounts of the duels fought between American wood and Japanese steel, few authors record what Imperial Navy ships opposed the PT’s when the boats sallied forth to do battle. This page brings to light the rivals of the “wooden wonders of Tulagi "the ships that composed, and the men who led the dreaded Reinforcement Unit" the Tokyo Express.
13/14 October 1942
Henderson Field Bombardment Unit: Vice Adm. Takeo Kurita in Kongo
Battleships: Kongo, Haruna
Light Cruiser: Izuzu
Destroyers: Takanami, Oyashio, Kuroshio, Hayashio, Naganami, Umikaze,
Kawakaze, Suzukaze
PT Unit: Senior Officer, Lt. Comdr. Alan R. Montgomery USN in PT 60
PT 38 (Lt. j/g Robert L. Searles USNR)
PT 46 (Lt. j/g Henry S. Taylor USNR)
PT 48 (Lt. j/g Robert C. Wark USNR)
PT 60 (Lt. j/g John M. Searles USNR)
Comments: First PT action in the Guadalcanal area. The first four boats of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three attacked the Japanese bombardment force, PT 60 claiming two torpedo hits, PT 38 claiming one. PT 48 strafed one destroyer’s searchlight with machine-gun fire, putting it out. Destroyer Naganami, with one other ship gave chase to PT 60, which discouraged their pursuit by dropping a couple of depth charges in her wake. The PT 60 later ran aground on coral, seriously damaging her hull; she would be out of action until May 1943. Radio Tokyo broadcast that Admiral Kurita’s force was attacked by nineteen torpedo boats, which they claimed to have sunk fourteen for the loss of a light cruiser. A coastwatcher reported that natives saw “a large ship” sinking the next morning off New Georgia. Based on these reports, the squadron claimed one cruiser probably sunk, one damaged. Nothing thus far has been found to confirm ‘Ron Three’s damage claim.
29/30 October 1942
Troop Reinforcement Run
Destroyers: Shigure, Ariake
PT Unit: Senior Officer, Lt. Hugh M. Robinson USN in PT 61
PT 37 (Lt. j/g Leonard A. Nikoloric USNR)
PT 38 (Lt. j/g Robert L. Searles USNR)
PT 45 (Lt. j/g Thomas E. Kendall USNR)
PT 46 (Lt. j/g Henry S. Taylor USNR)
PT 48 (Ens. James B. Greene USNR)
PT 61 (Lt. Robinson)
Comments: The second section of MTBRON Three arrived on 25 October, bringing the total number of operational boats to seven. Radio intelligence warned the PT officers of the destroyers’ approach, and the five available boats waited to meet it. Lt. Searles’ PT 38 was nearly run down by a destroyer, which was first seen heading east through the Savo-Cape Esperance channel by Ens. Greene in PT 48 before he lost it in the darkness. The enemy ship wasn’t sighted again until a flare from an American aircraft illuminated it; this time it was heading west and bearing down on the PT 38 at high speed. The 38 escaped at 26 knots laying smoke. Ens. Greene in PT 48 intercepted the destroyer and fired three torpedoes at 400 yards, while the destroyer opened up with automatic weapons fire, holing the boat in many places. Greene claimed one torpedo hit the destroyer, but this is unconfirmed. None of the other boats made contact with the enemy, and the Japanese destroyers returned to their base in the Shortland Islands with a portion of their cargoes.
5/6 November 1942
Troop Reinforcement Run
Ko (“A”) Detachment:
Desdiv 2: Murasame, Harusame, Yudachi
Desdiv 27: Shigure, Shirayatsu, Ariake, Yugure
Desdiv 8: Arashi, Michisio, Asagumo
Otsu (“B”) Detachment:
Desdiv 11: Shirayuki, Mochizuki
Desdiv 19: Uranami, Shikanami, Isonami, Tenryu (light cruiser)
PT Unit: Senior Officer, Lt. Hugh M. Robinson USN in PT 61
PT 37 (Lt. j/g Leonard A. Nikoloric USNR)
PT 39 (Lt. j/g Henry S. Taylor USNR)
PT 48 (Lt. j/g Thomas E. Kendall USNR)
PT 61 (Lt. Robinson)
Comments: The Otsu Detachment delivered part of the 228th Japanese Infantry Regiment to Cape Esperance, while the Ko unit landed Maj. Gen. Ito, the commander of the 38th Infantry Group, his headquarters, and the remainder of the 228th Infantry at Tassafaronga. 206 construction workers and 142 soldiers returned in the destroyers. The only PT contact came when Lt. Taylor in PT 39 detected two ships headed for Tassafaronga. The ships were not visible in the darkness, but the boat began rolling in the destroyers’ wakes as they passed. Taylor lost track of the two ships in the darkness; forty minutes later—almost at the moment when Taylor made out the silhouette of an enemy warship, Murasame caught the PT 39 full in its searchlight, and opened fire with all guns. Taylor tried to get his torpedoes away, but only one fired—which missed. 5-inch shells from Murasame dropped within fifty yards of the retiring PT, while 39’s gunners put out the destroyer’s searchlight with machine-gun fire. A second enemy ship illuminated PT 39 as she ran for safety, dropping heavy caliber shells in her wake and churning up the sea around the boat with automatic gunfire. The boat escaped behind a smoke screen.
6/7 November 1942
Troop Reinforcement Run
Ships: Not known
PT Unit: Senior Officer, Lt. Hugh M. Robinson USN in PT 61
PT 37 (Lt. j/g Leonard A. Nikoloric USNR)
PT 48 (Lt. Lester H. Gamble, USNR)
PT 61 (Lt. Robinson)
Comments: PT’s 37 and 48 sighted an enemy ship "identified as a heavy cruiser or a destroyer" sailing slowly on a westerly heading off Guadalcanal’s Koli Point. Lt. Nikoloric’s PT 37 fired four torpedoes, which missed. Lt. Gamble in PT 48 also fired four, two of which were seen by the crew to explode. A single burst of shellfire passed overhead as the 48 boat made its getaway. A large oil slick was seen in the area the next morning, but no confirmation of a sinking or damage could be found from Japanese sources after the war.
8/9 November 1942
Destroyer Resupply Run
Otsu Detachment:
Desdiv 2: Murasame, Yudachi
Desdiv 27: Shigure, Shirayatsu, Yugure, Asagumo, Mochizuki, Arashi,
Michisio, Tenryu (light cruiser)
PT Unit: Senior Officer, Lt. Hugh M. Robinson USN in PT 61PT 37 (Lt. j/g Leonard A. Nikoloric USNR)
PT 39 (Ens. James B. Greene USNR)
PT 61 (Lt. Robinson)
Comments: For this run, the Otsu Detachment was on a resupply and bombardment mission among those on the receiving end of the shelling was South Pacific Force commander Vice Adm. Halsey, who was visiting Guadalcanal to see the Marines’ situation for himself. At 2144 hours off Tassafaronga, three Japanese destroyers began battling with Lt. Robinson’s PT division. Ens. Greene’s PT 39 let go two torpedoes but scored no hits. Lt. Robinson’s 61 boat couldn’t fire because it was blocked by Lt. Nikoloric’s PT 37, but the 37 fired two torpedoes at 500 yards, and unloaded a third a few seconds later. One of these torpedoes hit the destroyer Mochizuki, causing her minor damage; some sources say the torpedo failed to explode. The destroyers turned on their searchlights and began shelling the PT’s heavily, with one five-inch shell (apparently from Mochizuki) striking PT 61 forward, blowing off her bow. The boats escaped behind a smoke screen, and PT 61 was able to return to Tulagi safely. This eight-minute action was Ron Three’s quickest engagement thus far.
10/11 November 1942
Troop Reinforcement Run
Destroyers:
Desdiv 10: Yugumo, Makigumo, Kasegumo
Unattached: Makinami, Suzukaze
PT Unit: Senior Officer, Lt. Hugh M. Robinson USN in PT 45
PT 37 (Lt. j/g Leonard A. Nikoloric USNR)
PT 45 (Lt. Robinson)
PT 48 (Lt. j/g Thomas E. Kendall USNR)
Comments: The Express run for tonight carried ammunition, supplies, and 600 men including the commander of the 38th Infantry Division (Lt. Gen. Tadayoshi Sano), his staff, and Imperial Navy Lt. Comdr. Masatoshi Funabashi to act as a spotter for a future naval shelling of Henderson Field. The PT’s were patrolling south of Savo Island when they saw four of the destroyers off the Guadalcanal coast; the boats tried to close the range for a torpedo attack, but the destroyers saw them first. Lt. Robinson got two torpedoes away, Lt. Nikoloric’s PT 37 fired off one then a shell exploded so close to the 37 boat that everyone on deck was knocked down and stunned except for quartermaster John D. Legg, who kept the boat moving until Lt. Nikoloric regained consciousness. Lt. Kendall’s PT 48 fired no torpedoes, but traded bullets with several enemy ships. The Japanese destroyers returned to Shortland with 585 sick.
13/14 November 1942
Henderson Field Bombardment Force: Rear Adm. Shoji Nishimura commanding
Heavy cruisers: Maya, Suzuya
Light Cruiser: Tenryu
Destroyers: Yugumo, Makigumo, Kasegumo, Michisio, Mochizuki, Amagiri
PT Unit: Senior Officer, Lt. John M. Searles USNR in PT 39
PT 37 (Lt. Robert L. Searles USNR)
PT 39 (Lt. John Searles)
PT 45 (Lt. Lester H. Gamble USNR)
PT 46 (Lt. Henry S. Taylor USNR)
PT 48 (Lt. j/g Thomas E. Kendall USNR)
Comments: Admiral Nishimura’s bombardment force fired 989 rounds of 8-inch ordinance onto Henderson Field with negligible results. PT’s 37 and 39 fired torpedoes at the Japanese warships as they came in through Sandfly Passage, but scored no hits. Lt. Kendall’s PT 48 fired two torpedoes at US heavy cruiser Portland, which was limping into Tulagi Harbor and crippled from damage received during the first phase of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal the previous evening. Fortunately those torpedoes missed as well. Later, Lt. Taylor’s PT 46 closed to 1,000 yards of a cruiser and fired three torpedoes, one of which he was certain was a hit. Lt. Gamble’s PT 45 with Lt. John Searles aboard (Searles transferred to Gamble’s boat from the now-torpedoless PT 39) fired two torpedoes at a destroyer and claimed two hits. After the PT’s attacked, Nishimura ships stopped shelling and retreated. Henderson Field suffered 18 planes destroyed and 32 damaged, but the field was still usable.
24/25 November 1942
Submarine Supply Run
Submarines: I-17, I-19
PT boats on patrol
PT 36 (Lt. j/g Marvin G. Pettit USNR)
PT 37 (Lt. j/g Leonard A. Nikoloric USNR)
PT 46 (Lt. Henry S. Taylor USNR)
PT 48 (Lt. j/g Thomas E. Kendall USNR)
Comments: This was the first mission using submarines to deliver supplies to the 17th Army, and it was aborted because of the presence of PT boats and aircraft.
7/8 December 1942
Destroyer Resupply Run: Capt. Torajiro Sato in Oyashio
Destroyers: Oyashio, Kagero, Nowaki, Kuroshio, Kawakaze, Suzukaze, Naganami, Ariake,
Urakaze, Arashi, Tanakaze
PT Unit: Senior Officer, Lt. Rollin E. Westholm USN in PT 109
Scout Group 1:
PT 40 (Lt. Henry S. Taylor USNR)
PT 48 (Lt. Robert L. Searles USNR)
Scout Group 2:
PT 43 (Lt. Charles E. Tilden USNR)
PT 109 (Lt. Westholm)
Strike Force:
PT 36 (Lt. j/g Marvin G. Pettit USNR)
PT 37 (Lt. Lester H. Gamble USNR)
PT 44 (Lt. Frank Freeland USNR)
PT 59 (Lt. John M. Searles USNR)
Comments: Captain Sato's ships carried drums filled with food and ammunition for tonight's trip; this would be the third attempt to deliver supplies by this method. The first, on the night of 30 November/1 December 1942, culminated in the Battle of Tassafaronga a humiliating defeat of the US Navy's Task Force 67, composed of cruisers and destroyers. At Tulagi, the PT flotilla has been bolstered by the arrival of the eight boats of MTBRON Two under Lt. Westholm, bringing the number of operational PT's at Tulagi to fifteen. Planes from Henderson Field turn back three Japanese destroyers on tonight's run; the remainder continued until they run into eight PT's from the combined squadrons. The boats create mass confusion among the Japanese ships by launching twelve torpedoes, but no hits are scored. Lt. John Searles in PT 59 closes to 100 yards of flagship Oyashio, strafing her bridge and decks with machine-gun and 20mm fire. This, and spotting PT's 43 and 109 charging towards him persuaded Sato to abandon his mission.
9/10 December 1942
Submarine Supply Run
Submarine: I-3
PT boats on patrol:
PT 44 (Lt. Frank Freeland USNR)
PT 59 (Lt. John M. Searles USNR)
Comments: Forewarned by Navy intelligence that the I-3 would arrive in Kamimbo Bay around midnight on 9 December, PT's 44 and 59 were waiting in the prearranged area as a reception committee. The submarine was surprised by the two boats as she surfaced off Kamimbo; Lt. Freeland's 44 was not in a favorable position to attack, but Lt. Searles in 59 was in a perfect spot. The 59 quickly let fly with two torpedoes, one of which passed under the PT 44; the second struck the I-3, scoring a definite hit that blasted the 2,000-ton I-boat into oblivion.
11/12 December 1942
Destroyer Resupply Run: Rear Adm. Raizo Tanaka in Teruzuki
Destroyers: Teruzuki, Kawakaze, Suzukaze, Naganami, Arashi, Oyashio, Kuroshio, Kagero,
Urakaze, Tamakaze, Ariake
PT Unit: Senior Officer, Lt. John M. Searles USNR in PT 109
Scout Group:
PT 109 (Lt. Searles)
Strike Force:
PT 40 (Lt. Henry S. Taylor USNR)
PT 45 (Lt. Lester H. Gamble USNR)
PT 59 (Ens. Williams E. Kreiner III USNR)
Anti-sub Patrol:
PT 44 (Lt. Frank Freeland USNR)
PT 61 (Lt. Charles E. Tilden USNR)
Comments: Radio intelligence issued a warning that detailed the composition, timing, and destination of tonight's Express, along with a possible submarine run off Kamimbo Bay. As Tanaka's Reinforcement Unit completed dropping 1,200 drums of supplies into the sea, two torpedoes from Lt. Gamble's PT 45 ripped into flagship Teruzuki, crippling the ship, wounding the admiral, and forcing the Japanese to abandon and scuttle her three hours later. PT's 44 and 109 attempted torpedo runs on a group of Japanese ships, but heavy shellfire from Kawakaze and Suzukaze destroyed the 44 boat and forced 109 to flee behind a smoke screen. Two officers and seven enlisted men were killed in the destruction of PT 44; one officer and one enlisted man survived. Of the 1,200 drums dropped off by Tanaka's ships, only 220 reached Japanese hands; when this fact was reported to Vice Admiral Matome Ugaki, Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet, the admiral questioned whether or not the 17th Army was hoarding supplies.
2/3 January 1943
Destroyer Resupply Run: Rear Adm. Tomiji Koyanagi in Naganami
Destroyers:
Escort Section:
Naganami, Kawakaze, Suzukaze, Makinami, Arashio
Transport Section:
Oyashio, Kuroshio, Kagero, Isonami, Ikazuchi
PT Unit: Senior Officer, Lt. Rollin E. Westholm USN in PT 109
PT 39 (Lt. j/g James B. Greene USNR)
PT 40 (Lt. Allen H. Harris USNR)
PT 45 (Lt. Lester H. Gamble USNR)
PT 46 (Lt. Henry S. Taylor USNR)
PT 48 (Lt. Thomas E. Kendall USNR)
PT 59 (Lt. John M. Searles USNR)
PT 109 (Lt. Westholm)
PT 115 (Ens. George H. Brooks USNR)
PT 123 (Ens. Ralph L. Richards USNR)
Comments: PT strength at Tulagi has increased by six with the arrival of four boats of MTBRON Six and two more boats of MTBRON Two. On the Japanese side, Rear Admiral Koyanagi replaced Rear Admiral Tanaka as the commander of the Express, due to injuries Tanaka received when the PT's sank his flagship from under him on 11 December. The PT's attacked Koyanagi's ships for two hours, firing 18 torpedoes; the boats not only had to deal with the usual destroyer shelling, strafing, and searchlights, but the Japanese also brought in three floatplanes as air cover. The floatplane pilots found the wakes of the PT's easy to spot up to four miles away, even in the darkness because of phosphorescent glow. The boats were repeatedly strafed and bombed by the aircraft as they tried to make torpedo attacks on the Express. Lt. Gamble's PT 45 was the only one to make a (unconfirmed) hit on a destroyer. The next day the Japanese 17th Army reported they retrieved 540 drums and 250 rubber bags of provisions, about a five-day supply.
10/11 January 1943
Destroyer Resupply Run: Rear Adm. Tomiji Koyanagi in Kuroshio
Destroyers:
Escort Section:
Kawakaze, Kuroshio, Hatsukaze, Tokitsukaze
Transport Section:
Arashi, Arashio, Oshio, Makinami
PT Defensive Patrol:
Senior Officer, Lt. Rollin E. Westholm USN in PT 112 (Commander Task Group 61.2)
Task Unit 61.2.1 (scout group 1)
PT 39 (Lt. j/g Ralph O. Amsden USNR)
PT 45 (Lt. Lester H. Gamble USNR)
Task Unit 61.2.2 (scout group 2)
PT 48 (Lt. Robert L. Searles USNR)
PT 115 (Ens. Bartholomew J. Connolly III USN)
Task Unit 61.2.3 (strike force 1)
PT 40 (Lt. Clark W. Faulkner USNR)
PT 43 (Lt. Charles E. Tilden USNR)
PT 112 (Lt. Westholm)
Task Unit 61.2.4 (strike force 2)
PT 36 (Lt. j/g Marvin G. Pettit USNR)
PT 46 (Lt. Henry S. Taylor USNR)
PT 59 (Lt. John M. Searles USNR)
Comments: The Japanese ships came in under the cover of a rain squall; the two scout groups missed seeing them completely. The first contact was made by Lt. Westholm's strike group 1, spotting three destroyers off the Guadalcanal coast. The three boats attacked the enemy ships but the Japanese sank PT 112 and damaged PT 43 so badly it had to be abandoned. Lt. Faulkner in PT 40 and Lt. Westholm in PT 112 claimed one torpedo hit apiece and one of these two claims represented a certain hit on destroyer Hatasukaze. The torpedo's explosion killed eight sailors and wounded twenty-three others. The damaged destroyer was still able to retire back to Shortland at 16 knots, with three of her sisters as escorts. PT's 39, 45, and 46 all fired torpedoes at enemy ships at long range, but only Taylor's 46 made claims for torpedo hits. PT 43 was later sighted beached on the Japanese-held portion of Guadalcanal, and was reduced to matchwood with gunfire by a New Zealand corvette to prevent capture. The 17th Army reported the recovery of 250 drums with thirty tons of food, medicine, and ammunition, but the PT's shot up and sank another 250 drums with gunfire.
14/15 January 1943
Destroyer Troop/Resupply Run: Rear Adm. Satsuma Kimura commanding
Destroyers: Tanikaze, Arashi, Kuroshio, Tokitsukaze, Maikaze, Isokaze, Urakaze, Hamakaze
PT Defensive Patrol:
Senior Officer, Lt. Rollin E. Westholm USN in PT 109 (Commander Task Group 61.2)
Task Unit 61.2.4 (scout group 1):
PT 38 (Lt. Robert L. Searles USNR)
PT 59 (Lt. John M. Searles USNR)
Task Unit 61.2.5 (scout group 2)
PT 39 (Lt. Clark W. Faulkner USNR)
PT 115 (Lt. Bartholomew J. Connolly III USN)
Task Unit 61.2.1 (strike group 1)
PT 37 (Lt. John H. Clagett USN)
PT 45 (Lt. Lester H. Gamble USNR)
PT 109 (Lt. Westholm)
Task Unit 61.2.2 (strike group 2)
PT 36 (Lt. j/g Marvin G. Pettit USNR)
PT 40 (Lt. Allen H. Harris USNR)
PT 48 (Ens. Jacob F. Kearney USNR)
Task Unit 61.2.3 (strike group 3)
PT 46 (Lt. Henry S. Taylor USNR)
PT 47 (Lt. Hugh M. Robinson USN)
PT 123 (Ens. Ralph L. Richards USNR)
Comments: The Express loaded passengers as well as supplies for this run. The Japanese had by now written off Guadalcanal as lost; embarked on the nine destroyers were Major Keiji Yano and his battalion of 850 men. The Yano Battalion would be detailed as the rear guard for the 17th Army during its evacuation of Guadalcanal in February. Bad weather concealed the Reinforcement Unit from American aircraft as it threaded its way down the Slot, and air cover from floatplanes protected the destroyers from the PT boats attacks. The PT's fired 17 torpedoes, with unconfirmed claims of hits from PT's 45, 123, and 115. The Japanese ships successfully landed Major Yano and his men on Cape Esperance.
1/2 February 1943
Destroyer Evacuation Run: Rear Adm. Shintaro Hashimoto in Makinami
Cape Esperance Unit:
Screen
1st Unit: Maikaze, Kawakaze, Suzukaze
2nd Unit: Shirayuki, Fumizuki
Transport Unit
Desdiv 10: Kazegumo, Makigumo, Yugumo, Akigumo
Desdiv 17: Tanikaze, Urakaze, Hamakaze, Isokaze
Kamimbo Unit:
Screen
Satsuki, Nagatsuki
Transport Unit
Desdiv 16: Tokitsukaze, Yukikaze
Desdiv 8: Oshio, Arashio
PT Unit: Task Group 61.2, Senior Officer, Lt. Rollin E. Westholm USN in PT 109
Task Unit 61.2.1:
PT 39 (Lt. Henry S. Taylor USNR)
PT 47 (Lt. Robert L. Searles USNR)
Task Unit 61.2.2
PT 48 (Lt. Lester H. Gamble USNR)
PT 111 (Lt. John H. Claggett USN)
Task Unit 61.2.3
PT 37 (Ens. James J. Kelly USNR)
PT 59 (Lt. John M. Searles USNR)
PT 115 (Ens. Bartholomew J. Connolly III USN)
Task Unit 61.2.4
PT 123 (Ens. Ralph L. Richards USNR)
PT 124 (Lt. Clark W. Faulkner USNR)
Task Unit 61.2.5
PT 36 (Lt. Charles E. Tilden USNR)
PT 109 (Lt. Westholm)
Comments: This was the last fight between the Tokyo Express and the PT's at Guadalcanal and the most violent. Three boats the 37, 111, and 123 were sunk, with a total of six enlisted men killed, three officers and six enlisted men missing, and one officer and five enlisted men seriously wounded. PT's 37 and 111 were sunk by destroyer gunfire, while the 123 was destroyed by a bomb from a Japanese floatplane. Five PT's fired 19 torpedoes, claiming 2 destroyers sunk and two damaged. The only Japanese ship sunk was the Makigumo; there is still some dispute over whether she was damaged by an American mine (300 were planted in the area by US Navy minelayers earlier in the day) or from torpedoes from Lt. Faulkner's PT 124. The ship had to be abandoned, and was scuttled by torpedoes from Yugumo. The Japanese evacuated 4,935 men in this first run; two more evac trips were made on the nights of 4/5 and 7/8 February 1943, but the PT's did not attempt to intercept these runs.
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